Rocking crib or cradle



April 21, 1964 H. F. MARTIN ROCKING CRIB OR CRADLE Filed Feb. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HOWARD F. MARTIN ATTORNEYS -April-2l, 1964 H. F. MARTIN ROCKING CRIB 0R CRADLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1962 INVENTOR.

HOWARD F. MARTIN so FIG- FIG-8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,129,440 RGCKING CRIB GR (CRADLE Howard F. Martin, 215 5. Nelson, Wilmington, Ohio Filed Feb. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 173,505 6 Claims. (Cl. -409) This invention relates to a rocking crib and is particularly concerned with a rocking crib arrangement including a power operating arrangement for effecting the rocking of the crib.

Rocking cribs per se are known and it is also known to provide power means in association with such cribs for causing the rocking thereof. The present invention proposes a substantial improvement in devices of this nature, particularly with reference to the construction of the rocking crib and the arrangement of the drive for the rocking portion of the crib. Still further, the present invention proposes the provision of a multi-deck crib in which a single drive means is effective for driving all of the plurality of cribs so decked.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved drive arrangement for driving the movable portion of a rocking crib.

Another object of this invention is the provision'of an arrangement for stacking a plurality of crib units and for interconnecting the movable parts of the crib units for movement in unison and with a single drive means driving all of the crib units.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of a magnetic drive arrangement for a rocking crib which eliminates any direct drive connections between a drive motor and the rocking portion of the crib.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specifications taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a multiple crib unit constructed according to my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through one end of the crib taken immediately inside the end post as indicated by line 22 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view indicated by line 33 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn at somewhat enlarged scale and indicated by line 4-4 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through the pivotal support for the basket portion of one of the crib units and is indicated by line 5-5 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view indicated by line 6-6 on FIGURE 1 showing the detachable connection of the basket portion of one of the cribs with the drive link extending therefrom to the next basket portion therebeneath;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view indicated by line 77 on FIGURE 3 showing a preferred drive arrangement according to the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing diagrammatically another drive arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 show a multiple unit crib arrangement with the three crib units generally indicated at 10, 12, and 14 arranged in stacked relation.

Each crib unit comprises the corner posts 16 and extending between the corner posts are the side rails 18 at opposite sides of the crib and the end members 20 at one end of the crib and 22 at the other end. The stacking of the cribs is accomplished, as will be seen in FIGURE 4 by providing the lower end of each of the corner posts 16 of at least the upper two units with a bore 24 extendmence to rock counterclockwise.

ing upwardly therein and providing the upper ends of the posts 16 pertaining to at least the two lower crib units with the upwardly projecting dowel pins 26.

According to the present invention each crib unit comprises a bassinet or basket portion 28 inside the frame consisting of the corner posts 16. Each basket portion has projecting from each end thereof a short shaft 30 and each shaft 30 is received in a bearing 32 attached to the inside of the adjacent end member of the crib frame. In the drawings, the bearings 32 are shown as half bearings so that the bassinet portion pertaining thereto can easily be lifted therefrom but it will be apparent that many other bearing arrangements are possible within the purview of the present invention.

It is important for the shaft 34 to be located relative to the pertaining basket portion so that the center of gravity of the pertaining basket portion, even when the basket is loaded, is only a short distance below the pivot axis for the basket. This will decrease the amount of power required for causing the basket portion to rock and greatly simplify the drive arrangement.

According to the present invention, the several basket portions 28 pertaining to the stacked crib units are interconnected so that they will rock in unison. This is accomplished by extending links 34 from each lower basket portion to the one thereabove. These links are preferably readily detachable and this could be done in a number of difierent ways, one of which is illustrated in FIG- URE 6. In FIGURE 6 the upper end of the link receives a split pin 36 which extends through the wall of basket portion 28 and has resiliently expansible end part 38. The pin can readily be withdrawn from the basket portion but cannot accidentally become dislodged therefrom.

By having the basket portions rock in respectively opposite directions, the links 34 are arranged, as illustrated, to extend from one side of the lower basket portion to the opposite side of the next basket portion thereabove. Should it be desired to cause the basket portions all to rock in one in the same direction at the same time, the two links 34 illustrated could be released at their lower ends from the lower basket to which they are connected and swung over to the other side and again connected to the lower baskets at the auxiliary holes 40 provided for this purpose. With the links arranged in this manner, one of the links being shown connected in this position by the dot-dash outline 42 in FIGURE 1, all of the baskets will rock together in the same direction and at the same time.

The present invention proposes a novel drive arrangement for causing the baskets to rock or operate and this will be seen in FIGURES 2, 3, and 7. What is provided by the present invention is a U-shaped magnet 44 attached to the bottom of the lowermost basket and another U-shaped magnet 46 arranged in spaced relation thereto and mounted on the output shaft 43 of a gear head electric motor Stl. Motor 5ft is supported on end member 21 of the lowermost crib by an angular supporting bracket 52.

As will be seen in FIGURE 7, energization of motor 5@ will cause the U-shaped magnet 4s carried thereby to rotate and this will cause the relationship of the north and south poles of magnet 46 to change relative to the poles of U-shaped magnet 44 attached to the bottom of the lowermost basket 28. For example, if magnet 46 rotates clockwise from its FIGURE 7 position, its north pole will be moved toward the north pole of magnet 44 and this will increase the attraction between these poles, and the resulting force on the bassinet will cause it to rock clockwise. As magnet 46 continues to turn the bassinet, due to the tendency of the south pole of magnet 44 to follow the north pole of magnet 46, will com- Continued rotation of magnet 46 will carry its north pole away from the south pole of magnet 44 and the bassinet will be released and will rock due to its own inertia. As magnet 46 turns further, its south pole will commence to influence the north pole of magnet 44 and exert a force on the bassinet to rock it clockwise. As magnet 46 continues to turn it will again come back to its FIGURE 7 position. It will be apparent that the bassinet will be caused to rock as magnet 46 rotates. Magnet 56 of FIGURE 8 will cooperate with magnet 54 in about the same manner. This changing of the relationship of the poles will cause the basket to swing back and forth during continuous rotation of U-shaped magnet 46 in one direction. It is to be noted that the U-shaped magnets never come into actual engagement with each other but magnet 44 only swings in approaching toward magnet 46 and in receding therefrom. I have found this to be a satisfactory Way of causing rocking of the basket nortion and have found that adequate power is av ilable for causing all of the basket portions of the stacked cribs to operate in unison. It will be understood, of course, that one or more of the stacked cribs could be removed from the assembly but the drive means will remain operatively associated with the basket portion of the lowermost crib.

In FIGURE 8 I show how a U-shaped magnet 54 attached to the bottom wheel of basket portion 28 could be actuated by a magnet 56 consisting essentially of two bar magnets 58 and 69 mounted on a cross member 62 that is attached to the motor output shaft. Alternatively the magnet at 56 could consist of two U-shaped magnets arranged back to back and mounted on the motor output shaft.

The arrangement according to the present invention is relatively simple and inexpensive and can be embodied in a toy with safety since there are no gears or open contacts or the like while the drive arrangement is suificiently strong to permit its use on a full sized crib if desired.

A particular advantage to the present invention is the fact that there are no gears except those embodied in the motor so that the drive arrangement is extremely quiet and, furthermore, does not exhibit any wear even over a long period of time.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and accordingly, it is desired to cornprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a rocking crib; a frame, a bassinet rockably supported in the frame on a horizontal axis, a drive motor in the frame; a first magnet in the frame mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis parallel to the first mentioned horizontal axis and beneath said bassinet and operatively connected to said motor to be driven in rotation thereby, the magnetic poles of said first magnet being circumferentially spaced in a plane normal to said axes, and a second magnet mounted on the bottom of the bassinet substantially in said plane and having poles spaced in said plane and spaced from the poles of said first magnet, said poles of the second magnet being spaced from the poles of the first magnet in all rotated positions of said first magnet and all tilted positions of said bassinet, whereby rotation of said first magnet by said driving motor will cause rocking of the bassinet in said frame.

2. In a rocking crib; a frame, a bassinet rockably supported in the frame, drive means in the frame beneath the bassinet, said drive means including a drive motor and a first magnet connected to the motor to be driven in rotation when the motor is energized, a second magnet on the bottom of the bassinet spaced from but positioned to be influenced by said first magnet, whereby said magnets being coplanar in a plane normal to the axis which the bassinet rocks will cause said bassinet to rock in said frame, at least one other frame mounted on top of said first mentioned frame, a second bassinet in said other frame, and link means connecting said bassinets together for rocking movement in unison as said drive means operates.

3. In a rocking crib; a frame, a bassinet rockably supported in the frame, drive means in the frame beneath the bassinet, said drive means including a drive motor and a first magnet connected to the motor to be driven in rotation when the motor is energized, a second magnet on the bottom of the bassinet spaced from but positioned to be influenced by said first magnet, said magnets being coplanar in a plane normal to the axis on which the bassinet rocks whereby energization of said motor will cause said bass'met to rock in said frame, at least one other frame mounted on top of said first mentioned frame, a second bassinet in said other frame, and a link means connecting said bassinets together for rocking movement in unison as said drive means operates, said link means being detachably connected to said bassinets at at least one end of the link means, and means on the bassinet pertaining to said one end of the link means providing for a plurality of points of connection of the said one end of the link means to the pertaining bassinet.

4. In a rocking crib; a frame bearing means in the frame defining a pivot axis, a bassinet having a shaft means engaging said bearing means whereby the bassinet is rockably supported in the frame, a drive motor in the frame; a first U-shaped magnet in the frame operatively connected to the drive motor to be rotated thereby on an axis parallel to said pivot axis, the poles of said magnet being located radially outwardly from the axis of rotation thereof and spaced circumferentially, a second U-shaped magnet on the bottom of the bassinet coplanar with said first magnet and within the range of the mag-v netic field of said first magnet whereby rotation of said first magnet by said drive motor will act on the second magnet to cause said bassinet to rock in said frame, said frame comprising first corner posts, a second frame also comprising corner posts rest'mg on said first corner posts, a second bassinet rockably carried in said second frame, and link means connecting said bassinets together for rocking movement in unison as said motor operates.

5. In a rocking crib; a frame, bearing means in the frame defining a pivot axis, a bassinet supported by said bearing means so as to be rockable in the frame, a drive motor in the frame; a first magnet in the frame operatively connected to the drive motor to be rotated thereby on an axis parallel to said pivot axis, the poles of said first magnet being located radially outwardly from the axis of rotation thereof and spaced circumferentially, a second magnet on the bassinet substantially coplanar with the first magnet and having its poles located radially outwardly from said pivot axis and circumferentially spaced and within the range of the magnetic field of said first magnet whereby rotation of said first magnet by said drive motor will cause said bassinet to rock in said frame, said frame comprising first corner posts, a second frame also comprising corner posts resting on said first corner posts, a second bassinet rockably carried in said second frame, and link means connecting said bassinets together for rocking movement in unison as said motor operates, said frames having end walls, said bearing means in the frame comprising half bearings on the inner sides of said end walls, and pivot shafts on the ends of said bassinets resting in said half bearings.

6. In a rocking crib; a frame, a bassinet rock-ably supported in the frame, a drive motor in the frame; a. first magnet in the frame operatively connected to the drive motor to be rotated thereby on an axis parallel to the axis on which the bassinet rocks and a second magnet on the bassinet spaced from the axis on which the bassinet rocks and within the range of the magnetic field of said first magnet, said magnets being coplanar and having their poles spaced circumferentially whereby rotation of said first magnet by said drive motor will cause said bassinet to rock in said frame, said frame comprising first corner posts, a second frame also comprising corner posts resting on said first corner posts, a second bassinet rockably carried in said second frame, and link means connecting said bassinets together for rocking movement in unison as said motor operates, said frames having end walls, half bearings on the inner sides of said end walls, and pivot shafts on the ends of said bassinet resting in said half bearings providing the means rockably supporting said bassinet, said pivot shafts being coaxial and being located only a sort distance above the centers of gravity of the respective bassinets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,040,553 Lamort Oct. 8, 1912 2,984,356 Bruninghaus May 16, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 329,379 Germany Nov. 23, 1920 

1. IN A ROCKING CRIB; A FRAME, A BASSINET ROCKABLY SUPPORTED IN THE FRAME ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A DRIVE MOTOR IN THE FRAME; A FIRST MAGNET IN THE FRAME MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS PARALLEL TO THE FIRST MENTIONED HORIZONTAL AXIS AND BENEATH SAID BASSINET AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR TO BE DRIVEN IN ROTATION THEREBY, THE MAGNETIC POLES OF SAID FIRST MAGNET BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID AXES, AND A SECOND MAGNET MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BASSINET SUBSTANTIALLY IN SAID PLANE AND HAVING POLES SPACED IN SAID PLANE AND SPACED FROM THE POLES OF SAID FIRST MAGNET, SAID POLES OF THE SECOND MAGNET BEING SPACED FROM THE POLES OF THE FIRST MAGNET IN ALL ROTATED POSITIONS OF SAID FIRST MAGNET AND ALL TILTED POSITIONS OF SAID BASSINET, WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID FIRST MAGNET BY SAID DRIVING MOTOR WILL CAUSE ROCKING OF THE BASSINET IN SAID FRAME. 